A plan to redevelop the campus into several assisted living facilities and possibly a new Vineland EMS facility faced several setbacks over the years, but now appears to finally be gaining steam.

“The neighborhood has a building that became more and more of a blight — this is something that’s needed,” Vineland Economic Director Sandy Forosisky said.

The city last year approved a $2.5 million second generation Urban Enterprise Zone loan to redeveloper Newcomb Medical Center Alliance LLC to cover demolition costs at the property.

That covered about $900,000 for asbestos abatement, Forosisky said, which was handled by a subcontractor last month.

Also covered in that loan was the cost of paying off an existing mortgage on a lot consisting of the former medical officer building and parking garage.

Monday’s demolition will see several remnants of the facility finally torn down, including the hospital itself, along with its South Tower.

The former Cunningham Wing and emergency room will be selectively demolished, as they are planned to become incorporated into the new redevelopment project.

City Council is the redevelopment entity for the project, while Newcomb Medical Alliance Center LLC is the redeveloper.

The former Newcomb Medical Center building on South State Street has become an eyesore to the neighborhood in Vineland.(Photo: File photo)

The overall project calls for development of the site on a lot-by-lot basis, and will eventually feature 70 assisted living units and 140 independent living units for senior citizens, veterans and disabled people.

Also in the works is a possible new building to house the Vineland EMS.

That will come down to money, however.

“They're gonna provide us with a more detailed cost estimate to see if it makes sense to put them there,” Forosisky said, of the Vineland EMS. “They gave us a broad number; we want a more detailed number.”

The site has been unused for more than a decade since the hospital closed and its operations were rolled into a new regional medical center near Cumberland County College off Sherman Avenue.

The Newcomb campus at one point was designated to be a medical school, but that concept died.

The city’s Revolving Loan Fund Second Generation Loan Committee has now given a total of $8.5 million toward the project over the years, Forosisky noted.

“This project is very important to the neighborhood, which has suffered from the blight of this building,” the committee wrote in its initial loan proposal. “The police and neighbors want the building demolished as soon as possible.”

According to Forosisky, construction on the site is expected to occur in phases over the next five years.

The Newcomb activity is not the only redevelopment project to gain momentum this year.

Elsewhere in Vineland on Monday, the planned $19 million Landis Square Senior Apartments project will see its groundbreaking ceremony.

Located on a block-long stretch of Landis Avenue near East Avenue and Myrtle Street, the project will see a three-story building that comprises of 78 residential units and a ground-level retail space.

Demolition crews were tasked earlier this year with tearing down blighted properties on the block to make way for the planned construction, including the former Adamo Feed Inc., Travel Inn, Crown Fried Chicken, Vineland Glass building and others.

Eastern Pacific Development is the development firm for Landis Square Senior Apartments, and Hans Lampart is its president. Brookfield Construction is the general contractor.

The project is a partnership between Eastern Pacific and Tri-County/Gateway Community Action Partnership.